The Moon at Daimotsu Bay

Artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi 月岡芳年 (Japanese, 1839–1892)

DateJanuary 1886

Mediumwoodblock print, ink, color, embossing and mica on paper

DimensionsOban: 35.9 × 24.1 cm (14 1/8 × 9 1/2 in.)

ClassificationsPrints

Credit LineAlexander H. Bullock Fund

Terms

Object number2002.203

DescriptionIn the Tale of the Heike, which recounts the civil wars of the 1100s, ghosts of defeated Heike warriors rise from the sea to attack the young general Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159–89) and his faithful companion, the warrior priest Benkei. Only Benkei’s fervent prayers are able to thwart this ethereal yet seemingly indestructible force. The dark palette is full of brooding menace, as Benkei sternly greets the towering wave that threatens to overpower him. The swirling shadows across the moon suggest the presence of these spirits, and light scattering of mica dust on the print conveys the supernatural component.
Label TextIn the Tale of the Heike, which recounts the civil wars of the 1100s, ghosts of defeated Heike warriors rise from the sea to attack the young general Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159–89) and his faithful companion, the warrior priest Benkei. Only Benkei’s fervent prayers are able to thwart this ethereal yet seemingly indestructible force. The dark palette is full of brooding menace, as Benkei sternly greets the towering wave that threatens to overpower him. The swirling shadows across the moon suggest the presence of these spirits, and light scattering of mica dust on the print conveys the supernatural component.ProvenanceThe Katie and Scott McDonald Collection, Rochester, NY

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